Sport

Meenan ends St Pat's title hopes

UCD 2 St Patrick's Ath 1 ST PATRICK’S outside chances of the Premier title ended when a last-minute goal by Darren Meenan gave…

Tue Oct 04 2011 - 01:00

UCD 2 St Patrick's Ath 1ST PATRICK'S outside chances of the Premier title ended when a last-minute goal by Darren Meenan gave in-form UCD a narrow victory and now their fifth home league win in a row in an exciting Premier Division clash at the Belfield Bowl last night.

St Pat’s had an early chance when midfielder Ian Daly slipped a clever ball through to striker David McMillan whose first-time effort was well saved by College goalkeeper Mark McGinley. Then a snap shot from Paul Crowley was well saved by the diving McGinley.

Derek Doyle went close to breaking the deadlock on the half hour with a curling shot brilliantly pushed round the post by the diving McGinley at full stretch. The stopper again came to the rescue of the home side when blocking a Sean O’Connor effort eventually cleared by Daniel Ledwith for a corner.

College first threatened when Darren Meenan had a shot finger-tipped over the bar by Gary Rogers. Perhaps against the run of play, College took the lead on 38 minutes following a quick corner on the right by Paul Corry.

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Meenan was then able to float over a cross into a crowded goalmouth to allow the unmarked David O’Connor to get in a glancing header past Rogers.

Seconds before the interval St Pat’s might have equalised when McMillan burst through the home defence only for McGinley to perform more heroics when pushing the effort away for a corner. But St Pat’s were level two minutes into the second half when a cross from the right by Anto Murphy was blasted home from close range by David McMillan with the College defence in disarray.

Meenan and Paul O’Connor both squandered chances for the home side until that last minute drama with Meenan firing home from 25 yards after Ledwith had created the opening.

UCD: McGinley; Douglas, O'Connor, Leahy, Ledwith; Marshall (Clarke 78), Corry, O'Conor, Meenan; Belhout (Benson 59), Rusk.

ST PAT'S: Rogers; Shortall (Pender 72), Kenna, E McMillan, Bermingham; Doyle, Crowley, Daly (Bradley 78) O'Connor, Murphy; D McMillan (J O'Connor 88).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).